An increase in COVID-19 cases in the St. Louis region has caused the St. Louis Sports Medicine COVID-19 Task Force, the St. Louis County Department of Public Health and the St. Louis Department of Health to initiate a hold on all youth sport games and scrimmages.
The move has some pediatricians frustrated that the focus was narrowed in on youth sports, rather than congregations in bars and restaurants.
鈥淚鈥檝e been calling to say, 鈥楽hut down the bars completely,鈥欌�� said Dr. Jason Newland on Monday's St. Louis on the Air. Newland is a pediatric infectious disease specialist and serves as chair of the St. Louis Sports Medicine Task Force.
Newland said he was frustrated when St. Louis County Executive Sam Page called children鈥檚 sports 鈥渢he primary source of spread in the community.鈥�
鈥淚 understand all the grief and anger toward that decision, because it didn鈥檛 feel fair,鈥� Newland said.
Yet Newland understands the decision to limit games and scrimmages.
鈥淲e had to step up to do the right thing at that time, because the biggest and most important thing that I believe our community should focus on is getting our children back into school. In-person school is essential. It鈥檚 essential not only for the education, but the socialization [and] the additional support one gets in school.鈥�
He added that in-person education will play an important role in avoiding 鈥渟ome of the disparities that we鈥檒l be seeing if all we do is virtual learning.鈥�
鈥�鈥� brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is hosted by and produced by , , , and . The audio engineer is .
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